1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an imaging apparatus which can capture a still image while capturing a moving image, control method thereof, storage medium, and program.
2. Description of the Related Art
A digital camera and a digital camcorder use common technologies therein, and there is a digital camera which can capture a moving image as well as a still image. Moreover, there is a digital camera which can capture a still image while capturing a moving image. When such a digital camera captures a still image while capturing a moving image, the digital camera stores the obtained image data separately into a moving image file and into a still image file.
Generally, a moving image is recorded in a VGA size. If a still image is recorded in a VGA size the same as a moving image, a still image can be picked out from a moving image and recorded. However, quality of such a still image recorded in a VGA size is inferior compared to a still image captured by a digital camera.
Consequently, in the case where a digital camera captures a still image while capturing a moving image, the digital camera stops the capturing of a moving image simultaneously as the capturing of a still image is started. The digital camera switches to a high-image quality operation for capturing a still image, and captures a still image. The capturing of the moving image is resumed after the capturing of the still image is finished.
However, in the above-described process, the capturing of a moving image is stopped halfway. As a result, connection between frames of the recorded moving image is partly cut off, and a user watching the reproduced moving image typically will notice such imperfection.
To overcome such a problem, a digital camera inserts a still image into the part of the moving image file where a still image is being captured. For example, a conventional technology complements a missing frame in a moving image which is caused by capturing a still image while capturing a moving image.
Recently, image outputting devices such as a television set can output in both 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios. Accordingly, it is desirable that image recording apparatuses such as a digital camera can capture images in both 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios.
However, when the aspect ratio is changed from 4:3 to 16:9, the field range of the capturing also changes. For example, in the case where different aspect ratios are set for a still image and a moving image, and a still image is conventionally stored as a frame in a moving image, the aspect ratio of the picture changes in the still image part when the moving image file is reproduced. Therefore, a user typically will notice an imperfection when he watches the reproduced moving image file.